# Is Pantene/Herbal Essences really that horrible?



## angiee7 (Oct 13, 2013)

*I've been doing a lot of research of what type of shampoo and conditioner to switch to because I've been using Suave Naturals Coconut for a while now and i want something with better quality, but I'm unsure on what to use. I read the negative reviews rather than the positive to be more aware and majority say that Herbal Essences  smells good, but makes your hair fall out? Others say that Pantene is a great steal but also has negative impacts on hair. So please if anyone can steer into the right path for a good quality, but still cheap shampoo and conditioner? Thanks so much!*


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## amygab1126 (Oct 13, 2013)

I'd say if you're going inexpensive, try John Frieda - whichever line suits your hair type. I really like their Full Repair,  Luxurious Volume, and Sheer Blonde shampoos and conditioners. L'Oreal's generally very good, too, from my experience. I do agree that Herbal essences is all about the fragrance - not so much the formula (can't say anything about it making hair fall out, though). I haven't liked Pantene since they discontinued the Texturize line.


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## normajean2008 (Oct 13, 2013)

Herbal Essences and Pantene are no better quality than Suave.  They are all full of harsh detergents and scalp/hair clogging agents.

The L'Oreal sulfate free lines aren't much more than those cheap-cheap brands, and they work pretty well.  I also liked the Aveeno line, specifically the nourish and shine one.


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## GoDawgs (Oct 13, 2013)

I really love Suave Keratin Infusion shampoo and conditioner.  I often co-wash and just use the conditioner.  If you are interested in using a cleansing conditioner, Hair One from Sally's is inexpensive and I like it a lot.  The only reason I quit using it was I got irritated with the packaging, which makes it hard to get the product out when it's down to about 1/4 full.


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## ZeeOmega (Oct 13, 2013)

Quote: Originally Posted by *normajean2008* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Herbal Essences and Pantene are no better quality than Suave.  They are all full of harsh detergents and scalp/hair clogging agents.

Suave is actually quite a lot better than Pantene. The Suave Naturals Conditioner is free of silicones and harsh detergents. It's a good rinsing conditioner, but you definitely need something more moisturizing for regular conditioning / leave-in conditioner purposes. I think some of the Herbal Essences are supposed to be okay, but you need to check the ingredients of each and I think they've changed them in the past couple of years.


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## Olga Ok (Oct 14, 2013)

Finally, someone else said the same thing I experienced with Herbal Essences. I once bought HE shampoo and conditioner in a red bottle (forgot the name) and it made my hair FALL OUT. I could not believe it and blamed the stress but it was so unusually excessive. When I stopped using the shampoo, the fallout went back to normal limits. Since then I avoid Herbal Essences like fire. I also don't like Dove. It caused severe dandruff and itching for me. L'oreal sulfate-free line is good but tends to build up rather fast and makes hair feel greasy very quickly. but it is better in terms of silicons compared to Pantene. Pantene makes hair shiny but needs to be interchanged with other shampoos for avoid build up.


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## BeautyRoom (Oct 16, 2013)

I'm glad I read these posts. I've been using Herbal Essences for a while and had no idea about the side effects! I've always chosen for the smell but am going to be more careful now. Tamsin


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## ItsHollyAgain (Oct 17, 2013)

I've heard (mostly from hair stylists, so not sure if they knew their stuff 100% or were just trying to push me towards buying stuff from the salon) that Herbal Essences is harsh on hair. Also that Pantene just coats your hair. However, I say go with what works for your hair. One of my best friends has been using Pantene since high school (she's a few years older than me and I'm 30) and her hair is gorgeous. If I use Pantene, I get about one day where my hair looks good (but really flat) and after that it feels just greasy. Mind you, it was someone else's and I didn't get to try different formulas. I used Herbal Essences in high school a few times and it stripped my color out really fast. I'm happy with Pureology and Redken


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